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A Fragment of the Same Disputation

Archelaus

Chapter 3

About this work

Author: Archelaus

Section 3

3. But even although we should be under the

necessity

of

accepting

the

exegesis

advocated

by

some

,

—

for

the

subject

is

not

altogether

unworthy

of

notice

,

—

and

of

saying

thus

,

that

He

hath

actually

blinded

the

minds

of

them

that

believe

not

,

we

should

still

have

to

affirm

that

He

hath

blinded

them

for

good

,

in

order

that

they

may

recover

their

sight

to

behold

things

that

are

holy

.

For

it

is

not

said

that

He

hath

blinded

their

soul

,

but

only

that

He

hath

blinded

the

minds

of

them

that

believe

not

.

And

that

mode

of

expression

means

something

like

this

:

Blind

the

whorish

mind

of

the

whore

-

monger

,

and

the

man

is

saved

;

blind

the

rapacious

and

thievish

mind

of

the

thief

and

the

man

is

saved

.

But

do

you

decline

to

understand

the

sentence

thus

?

Well

,

there

is

still

another

interpretation

.

For

the

sun

blinds

those

who

have

bad

sight

;

and

those

who

have

watery

eyes

are

also

blinded

when

they

are

smitten

by

the

light

:

not

,

however

,

because

it

is

of

the

nature

of

the

sun

to

blind

,

but

because

the

eye’s

own

constitution

is

not

one

of

correct

vision

.

And

in

like

manner

,

those

whose

hearts

are

afflicted

with

the

ailment

of

unbelief

are

not

capable

of

looking

upon

the

rays

of

the

glory

of

the

Godhead

.

And

again

,

it

is

not

said

,

“

He

hath

blinded

their

minds

lest

they

should

hear

the

Gospel

,

”

but

rather

“

lest

the

light

of

the

glory

of

the

Gospel

of

our

Lord

Jesus

Christ

should

shine

unto

them

.

”

For

to

hear

the

Gospel

is

a

thing

committed

to

all

;

but

the

glory

of

the

Gospel

of

Christ

is

imparted

only

to

the

sincere

and

genuine

.

For

this

reason

the

Lord

spake

in

parables

to

those

who

were

incapable

of

hearing

,

but

to

His

disciples

He

explained

these

parables

in

private

.

For

the

illumination

of

the

glory

is

for

those

who

have

been

enlightened

,

while

the

blinding

is

for

them

who

believe

not

.

These

mysteries

,

which

the

Church

now

declares

to

you

who

are

transferred

from

the

lists

of

the

catechumens

,

it

is

not

her

custom

to

declare

to

the

Gentiles

.

For

we

do

not

declare

the

mysteries

touching

the

Father

,

and

the

Son

,

and

the

Holy

Spirit

to

a

Gentile

;

neither

do

we

speak

of

the

mysteries

plainly

in

presence

of

the

catechumens

;

but

many

a

time

we

express

ourselves

in

an

occult

manner

,

so

that

the

faithful

who

have

intelligence

may

apprehend

the

truths

referred

to

,

while

those

who

have

not

that

intelligence

may

receive

no

hurt

.

Notes

1
For εἰ δὲ δεῖ καὶ ὡς, etc., various codices read εἰ δὲ δικαίως, etc.
2
νοήματα, thoughts.
3
ψυχήν.
4
ὑπόστασις.
5
ἐφίεται.